What does it take to become one of Ghana's leading recruitment and Human Resource companies? Reconnect Africa speaks to Ellen Hagan about L'AINE Services and how its values as well as her vision have led to the company's success

L'AINE Services Limited is a human resource development organisation which offers a variety of services including job placement, outsourcing, training, organisational development, career counselling, grooming and interview preparation, and the production of management training videos.

ReConnect Africa: What was the inspiration behind setting up L' AINE Services?

Ellen Hagan: To help people to find the right career/job and develop themselves whilst identifying their purpose in this world.

ReConnect Africa: How have the company's values helped L'AINE to stand out from the crowd?

Ellen Hagan: Our values as a company are Integrity, Customer Satisfaction, Teamwork, Dedication and Responsiveness. How do we demonstrate this?

In terms of Integrity, the difference is that in our part of the world where fraud and corruption are rampant, L'AINE Services eschews all forms of fraud and corruption in all its dealings with internal and external clients and stakeholders alike.

With respect to Customer satisfaction, no longer are we driven by satisfying our customers; that seems to be pretty standard now. We strive at "delighting" our customers, going the extra mile. Our successes are measured against the evident satisfaction that our clients receive from us through our services. In terms of Teamwork, we recognise that without each other, our 'raison d'etre' and accomplishments would not be realised.

Our collective effort adds to our competitive advantage. People who are team players are in high demand.

In terms of Dedication, our level of commitment to excellence in all that we do sets us apart from our competitors. Responsiveness is reflected in the fact that our ability to promptly respond to the needs of our clients without compromising on quality is our hallmark.

ReConnect Africa: What are some of the key areas of demand for talent in Ghana today?

Ellen Hagan: Employers are always looking for people who are multi-skilled, solution-oriented and resilient, and who have good interpersonal skills. The areas of Marketing, Accounting, Engineering and Medicine are in demand in Ghana.

ReConnect Africa: How can L'AINE help Ghanaians abroad who are looking for job opportunities at home?

Ellen Hagan: By creating a platform through our website, where curriculum vitae can be sent to us and matched to job opportunities. We also link our website to other job search websites as a contact point for getting a job, and periodically participate in international career fairs and workshops.

ReConnect Africa: How important has Human Resource outsourcing become to businesses in Ghana?

Ellen Hagan: The world of work has changed. Employers need flexibility in the supply of labour. They need to be able to employ any number of workers for any number of days or hours without having the administrative burden of managing them.

Matching the right caliber of person to the right job is important and managing the staff for maximum productivity is key. Outsourcing offers that flexibility, especially in uncertain job situations where continuity of work is not guaranteed. Outsourcing offers the opportunity for Human Resources managers to concentrate more on strategy.

ReConnect Africa: How do L'AINE Services' training videos help in your aim of developing Ghanaian skills?

Ellen Hagan: One of the strongest tools in management training is the use of management videos. Unfortunately, most management videos available in Ghana are foreign based.

Even though they are very good, we have found out that during most training programmes, no matter what level of staff, trainers have had to explain the context and language as well as the management principles in these foreign videos to participants.

L'AINE identified a need for management training in Ghana, where scenarios typical of the Ghanaian work environment and attitudes are portrayed. Our videos act as a very effective way of correcting behavior by serving as a "look in the mirror" tool.

ReConnect Africa: How does L'AINE contribute to corporate social development in Ghana?

Ellen Hagan: L'AINE contributes to corporate and social development in Ghana through training programmes, participating in job fairs, career counseling, youth development and mentoring and philanthropic entrepreneurship.

We also undertake career guidance and advice for young people on a one-to-one basis as well as at group level. We visit mainly tertiary institutions and give talks on the world of work and entrepreneurship. We also demonstrate corporate social development through training, mentoring and coaching.

To learn more about L'AINE Services and to register for jobs in Ghana, visit: www.laineservices.com